Hypercalciuria in clinical pediatrics. A review.

Idiopathic hypercalciuria is a cause of a variety of urinary tract complaints in clinical pediatrics. These include gross or microscopic hematuria, enuresis, urinary frequency or urgency, dysuria, sterile pyuria, and proteinuria in addition to renal calculi. A random urine calcium-creatinine concentration ratio can be used to initially screen for hypercalciuria. Patients with indeterminate results should have the test repeated, while those with abnormal values should receive a complete metabolic workup to determine the cause of hypercalciuria. Identifiable causes of hypercalciuria should be treated specifically, and thiazide diuretics are the preferred treatment for uncomplicated renal calculi. Pharmacotherapy in children with idiopathic hypercalciuria and symptomatology other than renal stones is controversial and should be limited to patients with severe clinical manifestations.